Unforgettable Past Review
By Emily P (Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods to MERGE 2, University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 06/02/2014 to 06/27/2014 with
University of Northern Iowa: San José - Semester in San José, Costa Rica (Veritas)
More vocabulary and how to construct sentences better.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was a great experience living with a host family and attending school in a different country. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration at Veritas was very nice and cooperative. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was happy with my host family and they taught me so much while I was there. |
| * Food: |
My host mom made extremely good food. I was never hungry when I was there, because the food came in such big portions. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt comfortable with the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues while I was in Costa Rica. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe while I was there. I would walk to school alone and was never worried about being in danger. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
I didn't really budget, I just spend what I wanted. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Each week I think I spent around $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Get money out in big portions and put some in a safe at home because it cost extra money to get it out of the ATM. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We couldn't speak any language in our class or at home. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate 1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Take notes and ask many questions. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | More vocabulary |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
